I pulled the motor out of my car due to drop in oil pressure, & slight bottom end noise when hot. Upon disassembly I found the thrust surface of the crank torn up and the thrust bearing worn on the thrust surface. Everything else in the engine looks good, mains & rod, cam bearings were in good shape. No damage to the cam, lifters, etc... No metal in the pan, nothing on the pick-up, nothing in the filter, or pre-turbo filter. So it looks like I caught it in time. The oil that came out of it had a silver sheen to it which I am sure was the thrust bearing.

I probably could have the crank fixed and run an oversized thrust bearing but I picked up a fresh std/std crank just magged & polished to use instead.

This for a street car, none or maybe some test & tune passes at the track thatís it. The BUDGET plan is to leave the block std bore if it checks out which it looks like it will, hot tank, mag & hone, and re-use the stock pistons, new rings, recondition rods, reuse stock rod bolts, install new crank, re-use stock main caps and bolts, re-use the stock cam, lifters, pushrods, rockers. I am going to have the heads reconditioned, with comp valve job & ARP head bolts, I do not plan on porting them.

I am up in the air on:
Which brand head gaskets to use, felpro, victors, cometics?
Having the bottom end balanced or not?
Which brand of cam bearings, coated or uncoated?
Which brand of main bearings, coated or- uncoated?
Which brand of rod bearings, coated or uncoated?
Which rings are best replacements for stock pistons?

I have been reading up on bearings but everyone does something different and every shop uses different brands/types which has me confused as which way to go.
What's the deal with the Calico CT-1 coated Rod/Main bearings, I hear they are Speed Pro Sealed Power bearings that are just coated, are these better for race/street or both? What does the coated bearing do for me?

I need to know the best bearing for daily street application with stock rods/crank/mains/& cam. My machine shop will use whatever they or I decide. I am sure there pick of bearing would be fine but I would like to better understand my choices for my application instead of just picking one... Please help

I have tried different brands of bearing and now I swing with King! Compared to the other race brand bearing that I have tried I have found that the kings can take more of a lick-en and keep on tick-en like a Timex watch. Seriously I have found that the Kings (rod & main) stand up better in hard use or abuse.

I have tried different brands of bearing and now I swing with King! Compared to the other race brand bearing that I have tried I have found that the kings can take more of a lick-en and keep on tick-en like a Timex watch. Seriously I have found that the Kings (rod & main) stand up better in hard use or abuse.

X2...I compared a King Cam Bearing with an old Fed Mogul bearing that I had and the results were noticeably different. The King bearing had a grove at the top and bottom of the cam bearing that is for greater oiling. Also the material from King seemed to be much better quality as well...

__________________
1987 GN
Nearing Completion a few odds and ends....

Completed....Now Sold.....Now Depressed...

90 LX Baby Blue 302
Soon to be a 306 on laughing/happy stuff....Towed.....It was only a parts car not missed..

WHOLY CRAP I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE TO USE THOSE. they are great for oil pressure and work great, i used them in every circle track car i ran from the time i was 14years old to now. thats 16 years with the king.lol they are the best and not too expensive

Hi, I'm curious as to why the thrust surface was damaged . Did you make any changes to the transmission, flexplate to cause a loss of end play ?

It was rebuilt by our trans builder, shift kit, billet servo, accumulator plugged, deep pan were the only changes. Running the stock D5 converter, large B&M trans cooler. The converter looks ok phiscally but I am going to have it opened up and checked or go with a new aftermarket converter not sure yet. When we fire it up after the rebuild I am going to have pressure gauge on the trans cooler line to check the pressures and make sure there is not an issue there.

I have tried different brands of bearing and now I swing with King! Compared to the other race brand bearing that I have tried I have found that the kings can take more of a lick-en and keep on tick-en like a Timex watch. Seriously I have found that the Kings (rod & main) stand up better in hard use or abuse.

I've been keeping an eye on this thread as I'm in the same boat as Ed right now so I'm doing research as well. My build is going to be all stock but I want to make it as strong as I can and use the best where and when I can. On these King bearings, where is a good source to get them and does anyone have the part number for the kit for a GN engine? Just figured I'd ask.

I've been keeping an eye on this thread as I'm in the same boat as Ed right now so I'm doing research as well. My build is going to be all stock but I want to make it as strong as I can and use the best where and when I can. On these King bearings, where is a good source to get them and does anyone have the part number for the kit for a GN engine? Just figured I'd ask.

Now Ed stop posting and get over there and get my engine out gently!

Full throttle stocks the king bearings, probably the way I am going to go. I have been told to have all the King main bearings drilled out to 1/4 and deburred for a stock build.
You will not be able to order the bearings untill the machine shop specs the sizes you will need. They may be able to get the King bearings, I havent asked them yet.
It will be out Saturday morning, can I paint the rusty power master bracket while its out?

It was rebuilt by our trans builder, shift kit, billet servo, accumulator plugged, deep pan were the only changes. Running the stock D5 converter, large B&M trans cooler. The converter looks ok phiscally but I am going to have it opened up and checked or go with a new aftermarket converter not sure yet. When we fire it up after the rebuild I am going to have pressure gauge on the trans cooler line to check the pressures and make sure there is not an issue there.

Hey Ed I remember Pauly saying something about the D5 converters having ballooning issues causing thrust bearing failure. Mentioned something about a service bulletin or recall on it way back when, you may want to check with him.